Ridgway, PA: 1 Health Violation - Home Safety 67/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Ridgway: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Ridgway lands in the middle of the grade scale in PA; EPA records can differ from one service area to the next.
How Ridgway Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Ridgway Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 105 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0077 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 88% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $300 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Ridgway
Sorted by reported population served, the top 3 of 5 public water systems mapped to Ridgway, PA appear below, each with its own federal compliance record.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Ridgway, Pennsylvania (population ~6,330), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 30,875 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 1 health-based violation appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Ridgway: C (67/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Ridgway water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0077 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
1 of 1 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 2.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Notice Rule | Reporting | 48 | 1 |
| Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 32 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 14 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 10 | 1 |
| Cyanide | Inorganic | 8 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15853 | C | 105 | 1 | Ridgway Borough Water System |
All ZIP Codes in Ridgway
- 15853 [C] - 105 violations ⚠
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
Top Contaminants in Ridgway Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Ridgway
With 88% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. Federal law banned lead solder in drinking-water plumbing in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Median construction year in Ridgway: 1957, set against the 1986 federal lead limits for new plumbing.
Over half of homes in Ridgway were built before 1986, when federal law began restricting lead solder in drinking-water plumbing. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Ridgway Homeowners
How large is the remediation estimate next to home prices in Ridgway? Small in relative terms: it amounts to 1% of the median value or less, although the dollar figure below is still an estimate and actual costs vary by property and contractor.
Estimated remediation costs in Ridgway can be compared with local home values. The $150–$600 estimated range can be set against the median property value; actual costs vary by home. Home values are 49% below the Pennsylvania average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Ridgway
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
If you have young children or are pregnant, consider testing your home's water - especially if your home was built before 1986.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Ridgway
Historical NFIP data for Ridgway contains 218 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $42,086. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The $300 remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
What You Can Do in Ridgway
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. Check the certification, price and turnaround time of any water test kit or lab service.
- Install a certified water filter. For Public Notice Rule, listed in the water-quality records for Ridgway: if it is a rule or reporting requirement rather than a contaminant, ask your utility what the record involved; for bacteria, follow any boil-water notice from your utility; for a specific chemical contaminant, check whether a filter is certified to reduce it. Not every contaminant has a consumer filter certification.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 88% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Ridgway, PA